Feeding mechanism for gas-producers.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1908. EDWARDS.

E FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS APPLIUATION TILED SEPT. 30. 1904.

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PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

v. EKEDWARDS. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1904.

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ITLD Q11 n or" Lo ccjr EEd drds No. 886,484. ,PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

v. E. EDWARDS. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

APPLICATION FILED 8EPT.30. 1904.

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Wmt messes Inbenfor C1. DGBDT v VLc coT iiNiiaD t lte 1 r3 nae/nus VICTOR E. EDWARDS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TC MQRGAN CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF WVORCESTER, MriSSACH' SE'lTb.

MASSACHUSETTS.

A GORPQRATIGN OF Application filed September 31'), 19%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Vrcr'on Enwenns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have lib vented a new and useful Improvement in a I Feedin Mechanism for Gas-Producers, of

which t e following is a specification, accompanied'by drawings forming a part of the its highest position in the operation of deliv- Fig. 3.

ering coal to the gas producing chambera Fig. 3 is a detached, top view of the coal supporting shell. Fig. 4 18 a vertical, sectional View of the coal supporting sheh on line Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional View of the coal supporting shell on line 5,5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end view of one of the actuating eccentrics by which the coal supporting shell is raised and lowered.

Similar reference letters' and figures refer to similar parts in the di'fi'erent views.

My present invention relates to the leedin mechanism for feeding coal to the heating chamber of a gas producer, and it has for its obj cots to provide a feeding mechanism capable of withstanding the excessive heat of the heating chamber and by which the coal may be distributed evenly and uniformly to the heating chamber and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and set forth in the annexed claims. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes the side walls oi a gas producer, 2 the heating chamber, and 3 the coal con tained therein. The heating chamber 2 0 en at the top and is covered by a metal top p ate 4 havinga central opening 5, which is surrounded by an upturned flange 6. The top plate 4 is provided with a similar upturned flange 7 concentric with the flange 6 with the inclosed space 8 between the fl 6' and 7 forming an, annular W: to, Sulpported upon the cover 4 is coal reservoir 9 Specifica ion oi Let cars Patent.

Serial fife,

vided with a circular flange ll, which is inserted ithin. the opening 5 the top plate 4, and incioses a delivery opening 12 through which coal is delivered from the reservoir 9 into the heating chamber. The reservoir 9 is provided with depending annuiar flange 18 which surrounds the flange 6 of the top plate a and onto a the Water space 8 thereby water sealing lower oi the coal reservoir. The cover ei is also ided with one or more openings, one of Vhllfill is shown at lei, closed by the water d cover 15, and adorning means for exam' ring the interior of the heating chamber or for the admission of a poker. The top plate 4- is also provided on diam t 'cal opposite sides of the delivthe wate s to receiv th Attached to the y enigs 17,17

flanges 16,

flanges 16, 16 er .ists e i 1 their outer e with aspen K which extend r" 0 water sealing Li e p r l :yenin attacned to the u i e per ends he nip nected at-their upper ends to eccentric straps carried on eccentrics 25, 25 attached to a rotating 26 which is actuated by any suitable means, such for example as a ratchet wheel 27 and reciprocating pawl 28. The lower ends of the pipes 18, 19 are screw threaded 2t 29 and are attached to radially projecting cars 30 on coal receiving shell 31 which is suspended by the pipes 18 and 19 directly beneath the delivery'opening 12 of the coal reservoir-and concentrically with the heating chamber 2 of the gas producer. The under side of the coal receiving shell 31 is concave, as shown at 32', Figs. 1

some suitable refractory material 33 such as iire clay are eccentric rods 22, and 23 vhich 5. 3 0011- and 2, and the concave side is linedwith.

QTY opening '1 upturned, Cll'fiulfil' I J N I end upwar through and 19 communicate at their lower ends with the interior of the shell 31, and the pipe 18 is provided at its upper end with a branch pipe 36 through which a water supply is provided for the shell 31 in any suitable manner, in the present instance by means of a funnel 237 and a pipe 38, connected with a suitable water supply and arranged to deliver water to the funnel 37. The upper end of the pipe 19 is provided with a branch pipe 39 at a lower point than the branch pipe 36 and arranged assume a form as indicated by the coal lines 41, 41, Fig. '1, said coal lines indicating the angle of repose within which the coal will'be supported in a state of rest upon the coal supporting surface 34-. The diameter of the coal supporting surface 34 is therefore considcrably greater than the diameter of the opening 12 to enable the coal to be supported thereon in a state of rest when the shell 31 is in its lowest position. If shafts 26 and eccentrics 25 be rotated one half a revolution shell 31 will be raised from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 causing the mass of coal between the lower end of the coal reservoir and the surface 3+1 to be vertically compressed, thereby causing an expansion of the base of the mass of coal as indicated by the coal lines 42, 42, Fig. .2, and thereby pushing the base of the coal beyond the periphery of the circular coal supporting surface 34 so that a portion of the coal will fall over the circular edge 13 of the shell 31 into the heating chamber 2, as represented in 1* ig. 2. The continued rotation of the shaft 26 will cause the feeding operation to be repeated and the up and down movement of the ribs 35 will serve to disintegrate the mass of coal and facilitate its distribution over the edge of the coal supporting surface 34. The ribs 35 also serve to strengthen the shell 31 and resists any tendency to warp due to the excessive heat of the gas producing chamber. The shell 31 is also further protected from the injurious effects of cxccssivo heat by means of the lining 33 and also by the continued. current of water which is maintained through the pipes 18 and 19 and interior of the shell.

it is desirable in producers to feed the coal uniformly to the heating chamber and also to secure a uniform distribution of the coal within the chamber in order that the gas produced may be uniform in quality and amount and the mechanism employed to securc the uniform feeding of coal must bc simple in construction and either adequately protected from the injurious-effects of the. ex cessive heat of the gas producing chamber, or be rendered capable of withstanding it. That part of the mechanism concerned in the distribution of the coal should be located in close proximity to the bed of fuel within the gas producing chamber, consequently within the hottest zone of the chamber. Any movable mechanism requiring accuracy of construction such as the journal bearings of rotating shaftsis liable to be soon im paired by the warping effects caused by the excessive heat.

By my improved feeding mechanism 1 secure a uniform distribution of the coal over the circular edge of the coal supporting surface 34, and I'prevent the distortion of this circular edge by maintaining a current of water beneath the surface 34. 1 am thereby enabled to place the coal distributing member of my improved feeding mechanism wholly within the heating chamber 2, and to bring it within the required proximity to the bed of fuel 3. I avoid the use of rotating shafts within the heating chamber and secure the requisite movement of the shell 31 to accomplish the distribution of coal by means of long connections passing through the Water sealed opening 17 to the actuating eccentrics mounted upon the shaft at the top of the coal reservoir and removed from the injurious effects of heat. The peculiar movement given to the coal distrilnition shell 31 serves to effectually disintegrate the mass of coal and to break up any aggregations produced by coking of the coal and thereby producing uniform feeding of the coal of normal size and preventing the clogging of the coal passage from the reservoir 9 to the heating chamber.

The coal supporting surface is shown in the accoinpanying drawings as circular and concentric with the fuel admission opening to the heating chamber. 1 do not wish, however, to confine myself to the use of a circular opening for the admission of fuel, or to the use of a circular coal supporting surface, as it is only necessary that the two be similar in outline; that is, if the coal admission opening were to be made square, the coal supporting surface would be square. or if the admission opening wcrc hexagonal, the coal supporting surface would be hexagonal, and the coal supporting surface should be held conccntrically with the heating chamber.

Nhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:' a

1. In a gas producer, the combination with a gas producing chamber provided with an opening in its top for the admission of coal, and a coal reservoir above said opening, of a water tight shell supported beneath said opening and within the gas producingcham ceases beg, hollow supports for said shell, said'shell 2. In a gas producer, t e combination with agasprgiucing, chamber, and a cover for said chamber provided with an opening for ing, a coal reservoir-having its lower end water sealed in said annular water space, a water tight shell supported beneath said opening and Within said gas producing chamber, and having a coal supporting surface, hollow supports for said she 1, means for admitting water through one of'said hollow supports to one side of said shell, and an outlet through another of said hollow supports emptying. into said annular water space.

3. In a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber, a cover for said chamber provided with an opening for the admission of coal" to said chamber, of a hollow shell beneath said opening having a coal su porting surface, hollow supports for said shell means for impartim a vertical reciprocating moveinent to sai supfports, and means for supplying a currento water to said shell through said supports.

4. In a as producer, the combination with a gas pro ucing chamber havingan opening in its top for the admission of coal, of a coal supporting shell placed beneath said opening, racial ears on the edge ofsaid coal sipporting shell, suspension pipes connecte with said ears and communicating with said shell, and means-for maintaining a water current through said pipes and said shell.

5. Ina gas producer, the combination with I a gas producing chamber having an opening in its top for the admission of coal, of a shell supported beneath said 0 ening, said shell having a concave under si e and a plane upper surface for the reception of coal, a refrac tory lining for said concave under side, and means for supplying water to the interior of Y said; shell.

' 6. In'a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber, a cover for said chamber provided with an'opening for the admission of'coal to said'chamber, of ashaft journaled above said cover, a hollow shell provided with a coal supporting chamber sus ended below said cover, intermediate mec anism between said shaft and said shell, whereby said shell may be vertically reciprocated and means for supplying said shell with a current of water.

7. In a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber having an opening in its top for the admission of coal, of a coal supporting surface beneath said opening, and means for imparting a continuous vertically reciprocating motion to said surface, whereby .the coal is distributed in said chamber over the edg of said coal supporting surface 8. Ida gas producer, .the combination With a heating chamber having an opening in its top for the admission of coal, to said chamceives a verticallyreci rocating movement I by the rotation of the s aft.

9. 111 a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber provided with an opening in its top for the admission of coal, a continuously rotating shaft journaled above said chamber, eccentrics rotated by said shaft, a

coal supporting surface beneath said opening,

and connecting means between said coal supporting surface and said eccentrics, whereby a continuous vertically reciprocating movepient is imparted to said coa supporting surace.

10. In a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber rovided with an opening in its top for the a mission of coal, .of a coal supporting surface beneath said opening, and means for continuously and rapidly raising and lowering said surface through parallel planes.

11. In a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber provided with an opening in its top for the admission of coal, of a non rotatable coal supporting surface beneath said opening, and means acting 'contin or cover for said links, a water space surrounding said openings. and means for water sealing'said openings.

13. .In a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber, provided with an o ening in its to for the admission of coal to t e chamber, 0 a shell rovided with coal supporting surface and p aced beneath said opening, rotating eccentrics journaled above said openin links connecting said eccentrics and said shell, said links comprising a section of pipe, communicating with said shell and forming part of a water circulatory system, whereby a current of water islmain tamed through said shell.

14. In a gas producer, the combination with a heating chamber provided with an opening in its top for the admission of coal, a coal supporting surface beneath said opening, supports for said surface attached to its periphery, and means acting continuously to vertically reciprocate said supports in the same direction at the same time.

-15. In a gas' producer, the combination I with a heating chamber provided With an opening in its top for the admission of coal, 1

of a non rotatable coal supporting surface beneath said opening, and means acting continuously forralternately increasing and diminishing the distance between said surface and said admission opening.

pated this 26th day of Sept 1904. p

VICTOR E. EDWARDS VVitnesses:

PENELOPE COMBERBACH, L RUFUS B. FOWLER. 

